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Gordon to open his own catering school
Benedict Moore-Bridger and Katharine Barney29.01.08
Gordon Ramsay has revealed plans to set up his own catering academy after launching a blistering attack on the standard of British food colleges.
The restaurateur known for his fiery temper wants to establish a rival cooking school in central London to generate the Michelin-starred chefs of the future.
The academy will award unique Gordon Ramsay diplomas and offer apprenticeships of up to two years.
Ramsay unveiled his plans at the launch of Maze Prague last week, the European version of his successful London restaurant, saying it would be "his next big thing", Caterer magazine has revealed.
He said: "I'm fed up not just with the NVQ standards, but with what's coming out of our catering schools.
"I want to set up my own modern day apprentice scheme where students will experience everything from a most amazing pub to a one, two, or even three Michelin starred establishment.
"And if they want to spend three months in a florist, followed by a two month stint with one of our bakers, or a stint in New York, then we will arrange it.
"I'm not talking about fast-track courses here - I'm talking about six months, to 18 months, to two-year courses, issuing our own diplomas."
The decision will not be warmly welcomed by some chefs, particularly his former mentor turned arch nemesis Marco Pierre White, who last year labelled catering colleges "a waste of time".
Pierre White, who famously made the foul-mouthed Scottish firebrand cry during his early years as a chef, said that learning on the job was the only way to develop the necessary skills.
He said: "College is the biggest waste of time. It gives you a false sense of security. In the real world they struggle. Get into a good kitchen, stay for five years, keep your head down, take the b*ll*ckings and learn your trade."
Ramsay, who has been criticised for "spreading himself too thin" with the number of gastropubs and overseas restaurants he has opened recently, will hope his newest venture can be as much a success as rival Jamie Oliver's Fifteen foundation.
His latest venture, which is due to open later this year, is the transformation of the Warrington Hotel in Maida Vale into a gastropub at an estimated cost of £6 million.
It is his third pub, after the successful opening of The Narrow in Limehouse and The Devonshire in Chiswick.
Ramsay is also to open a less expensive and more casual sister restaurant to Maze in Mayfair, which pioneered his "modern tapas" under head chef Jason Atherton. The 85-seat Maze Grill will be housed in the Marriott Grosvenor Square hotel when it opens on 1 March.
In addition to this, Ramsay plans to open another Stateside restaurant, London Hotel in Los Angeles, later in the year.
Reader views (12)
I think, he is doing the right thing, because catering school do not prepare for real life in a front of House or Back of House.
I spend 20 years in this business and I am nowadays doing a training film for beginners or even for the first year of NVQ training program. This film will show how you can run a section with golden rules and different stories with tests at the end.
Let me know when he open his school, he will be pleased to see this DVD.
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- J.Edouard Guillemin, Paris - France
it would be a dream come true for me for i really enjoy cooking and want to open my own restaurant one day, so would really like to be on the catering school, plz keep me informed
- Ak, London
Having been bored in my career in sales over the last three years I have discovered the fun of cooking and would love an opportunity of joining Gordon's new scheme. It's great to know that college is not the only route to a new career. Thanks Gordon and good luck with this inovative idea.
- Charlie Wadsworth, Littlehampton
I think it would be a dream come true for me. Please keep me informed about the progress of the catering school.
Many thanks!!
- Swapnil Gupte, Plymouth, UK
would really be interested when it comes out finally, would really want to come and know more about the caterin school/
- Afolabi Oluwatomisin Ayo, nigeria
Get me posted when the school opens.
- Omobhude Ibhatuare Pamela, Benin City,Edo State.NIGERIA
i will like to be inform when it opens
- Naomi Owusu-Mensah, Ghana Accra
I would love it if this actually happened.
- Jay, London
I would love it if this became a reality and hopefully it will be. I am very young at the moment. Still in High School. But I hope to be graduating from the Junior Chef academy this year in Thames Valley University. I want to own restaurants in London when I'm older and hopefully get them even away from london.
This would prove to be a great opportunity for me in the future and i would love for it to happen.
- Jay, London
I would like to have to chance to come to the catering school when ever it opens and get lots of experience from it because I would like to open a restaurant when I get older.
Many thanks.
- Simon Ball, Dundee (scotland)
I think this is a great idea! I'm starting at college in September 2008 studying Catering and Hosp. It would mean a lot if I had a chance to go to this GREAT! idea!
I would like more info!
- David Colgan, London
Phew! I thought it was Gordon Brown for a second...
- Paul, London
